Glaring sunlight filled the tree house. "It's really hot here,"said Jack. "Especially in these clothes," said Annie. Their clotheshad magically been changed.
Annie wore a long dress. Jack wore scratchy pants and a long-sleeved shirt. His backpack was now a leather knapsack.
"Where are we?" asked Annie. They looked out the windowtogether. The tree house had landed in a tree at the edge of a field--the same field on the cover of the book.
"It looks so peaceful," said Jack. "Where's the Civil War?""There," whispered Annie with a shiver. She pointed to thewoods beyond the field.
Jack saw a soldier riding a horse out of the woods. The horsewas covered with mud. The soldier's blue uniform was torn. Hisarm was bloody.
Another man rode into the field. His blue uniform was in rags,too. His head was bandaged.
"Oh, man," whispered Jack. "Who are they?"He opened the Civil War book and found a painting of somesoldiers in blue. He read toAnnie:
1861--1865The Civil War called the "War Between the States," because itwas fought between the Southern and Northern States of theUnited States. Southerners wore gray uniforms and were calledConfederate soldiers.
Northerners wore blue uniforms and were called Unionsoldiers.
"So they're Union soldiers," said Jack. He pulled out hisnotebook and wrote:
Civil War - 1861 -1865Blue = North = UnionGray = South = ConfederateJack looked at his book again. He read The Civil War was acruel and bloody war. More people died in this war than in all ofAmerica's other wars put together. One out of every five youngmen in the nation died or was wounded.
"That's so sad," said Annie.
Jack wrote in his notebook:
Cruel war"Wow, they keep coming," Annie said.
Jack looked up. More Union soldiers were coming through thefield. These didn't have horses.
They all looked sad and weary. Some of them limped. Some ofthem helped others along. One man stumbled and fell down.
"I have to help--" said Annie.
"Wait!" said Jack.
She started down the rope ladder.
"You can't help!" said Jack. "A kid can't help..."But Annie kept going.
"Don't forget--we have to find some special writing forMorgan!" Jack called in a loud whisper. "Something to follow!"He packed the Civil War book and his notebook in hisknapsack. Then he started down the ladder.
When he stepped onto the ground, Jack saw Annie in thedistance.
She was holding her hand out to the fallen soldier. She helpedhim to his feet.
The soldier slowly started walking again. Annie walkedbeside him.
"Oh, brother," said Jack. And he hurried to catch up withAnnie.
The sun was scorching hot as Jack ran through the dry field.
He was sweaty in his scratchy clothes.
He caught up with Annie. Together, they walked silently withthe soldiers.
At the edge of the field was a steep hill. Everyone stopped andgazed at the sight below them--rows and rows of white tents.
"Thank goodness," said the soldier beside Jack. "We're saved." |